01_-_The_Alchemyst

Recommendations

Info

The AlchemystSecrets of the Immortal Life of Nicholas Flamel [1]Michael ScottRandom House Digital, Inc. (2007)Rating: ★★★★☆Tags: Legends; Myths; Fables, Magic, Action Adventure, Family, SanFrancisco (Calif.), Twins, Dee; John, Juvenile Fiction, MysteriesDetective Stories, Fiction, United States, Alchemy, Other,Supernatural, Alchemists, Siblings, People Places, General, Flamel;Nicolas, Brothers and SistersLegends; Myths; Fablesttt Magicttt Action Adventurettt Familyttt SanFrancisco (Calif.)ttt Twinsttt Dee; Johnttt Juvenile FictiontttMysteries Detective Storiesttt Fictionttt United Statesttt AlchemytttOtherttt Supernaturalttt Alchemiststtt Siblingsttt People PlacestttGeneralttt Flamel; Nicolasttt Brothers and SisterstttFrom Publissherss WeeklyTwin 15-year-old siblings Sophie and Josh Newman take summer jobsin San Francisco across the street from one another: she at a coffee shop, heat a bookstore owned by Nick and Perry Fleming. In the vey first chapter,armed goons garbed in black with "dead-looking skin and... marble eyes"(actually Golems) storm the bookshop, take Perry hostage and swipe a rareBook (but not before Josh snatches its two most important pages). The stolenvolume is the Codex, an ancient text of magical wisdom. Nick Fleming isreally Nicholas Flamel, the 14th-century alchemist who could turn base metalinto gold, and make a potion that ensures immortality. Sophie and Josh learnthat they are mentioned in the Codex's prophecies: "The two that are one willcome either to save or to destroy the world." Mayhem ensues, as Irish authorScott draws on a wide knowledge of world mythology to stage a battlebetween the Dark Elders and their hired gun—Dr. John Dee—against theforces of good, led by Flamel and the twins (Sophie's powers are
"awakened" by the goddess Hekate, who'd been living in an elaboratetreehouse north of San Francisco). Not only do they need the Codex back tostop Dee and company, but the immortality potion must be brewed afreshevery month. Time is running out, literally, for the Flamels. Proceeding at abreakneck pace, and populated by the likes of werewolves and vampires, thenovel ends on a precipice, presumably to be picked up in volume two. Ages12-up. (May)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Allrights reserved.From School Library JournalStarred Review. Grade 6-9–Scott uses a gigantic canvas for this rivetingfantasy. The well-worn theme of saving the world from the forces of evil getsa fresh look here as he incorporates ancient myth and legend and sets itfirmly, pitch-perfect, in present-day California. At the emotional center of thetale are contemporary 15-year-old twins, Josh and Sophie, who, it turns out,are potentially powerful magicians. They are spoken of in a prophecyappearing in the ancient Book of Abraham the Mage, all but two pages ofwhich have been stolen by evil John Dee, alchemist and magician. Thepursuit of the twins and Flamel by Dee and his allies to get the missing pagesconstitutes the book's central plot. Amid all this exhilarating action, Scottkeeps his sights on the small details of character and dialogue and providesevocative descriptions of people, mythical beings, and places. He uses as hisstarting point the figures of the historical alchemist Nicholas Flamel and hiswife, who have found the secret of immortality, along with mythical beings,including the terrifying Scottish crow-goddess, the Morrigan; the three-facedGreek Hekate; the powerful Egyptian cat-goddess, Bastet; and Scathach, alegendary Irish woman warrior and vegetarian vampire. While there is plentyhere to send readers rushing to their encyclopedias of mythology andalchemy, those who read the book at face value will simply be caught up inthe enthralling story. A fabulous read.–_Sue Giffard, Ethical CultureFieldston School, New York City_Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Allrights reserved.
Page 5 and 6: For Claudette, of courseiamque opus
Page 7 and 8: THURSDAY,31st May
Page 9 and 10: “This is most definitely not a Pr
Page 11 and 12: for such a foul stink? The tiny cra
Page 13 and 14: CHAPTER TWOJosh peered over the edg
Page 15 and 16: took the full force of a dictionary
Page 17 and 18: CHAPTER THREEWhat was that disgusti
Page 19 and 20: whatever happens, stay here and sta
Page 21 and 22: Which book? Sophie wondered, glanci
Page 23 and 24: Dee barely glanced at her. Clutchin
Page 25 and 26: you thought you might have seen,”
Page 27 and 28: “Magic?” Sophie asked.“I thou
Page 29 and 30: “But you said the Book is useless
Page 31 and 32: CHAPTER FIVEThe twins stood on the
Page 33 and 34: David Copperfield sawing people in
Page 35 and 36: “Everything he says checks out: h
Page 37 and 38: turned to the left and headed into
Page 39 and 40: “Cameras, videos, phones and the
Page 41 and 42: languages, his infinite patience—
Page 43 and 44: CHAPTER SEVENSophie spotted the rat
Page 45 and 46: air practically solid with flies, a
Page 47 and 48: single metallic clink—and then a
Page 49 and 50: “And you brought them here?” Th
Page 51 and 52: “I cannot believe you led them he
Page 53 and 54:
“Mr. Fleming is taking Perry out
Page 55 and 56:
them to be related. A sudden though
Page 57 and 58:
thousands of years: they were the s
Page 59 and 60:
angles, further confusing the creat
Page 61 and 62:
Scathach’s name. “All in all, a
Page 63 and 64:
CHAPTER TEN“So let me get this st
Page 65 and 66:
drew close, wondering if the figure
Page 67 and 68:
“The Taylor Trail,” Sophie said
Page 69 and 70:
and crows, they covered all availab
Page 71 and 72:
CHAPTER ELEVENSecurity gates opened
Page 73 and 74:
The couple spent the next twenty ye
Page 75 and 76:
his lips, he rose stiffly to his fe
Page 77 and 78:
CHAPTER TWELVEJosh spotted an openi
Page 79 and 80:
minute. The end of the bridge was i
Page 81 and 82:
away, and she knew then that they w
Page 83 and 84:
CHAPTER THIRTEEN“Turn here,” Ni
Page 85 and 86:
“I didn’t think there were any
Page 87 and 88:
“How…,” Josh began.“It was
Page 89 and 90:
CHAPTER FOURTEEN“Stay in the car,
Page 91 and 92:
bubbling from her lips. In an insta
Page 93 and 94:
while others were less well known,
Page 95 and 96:
The glow that covered Josh was a wa
Page 97 and 98:
“I know the prophecy,” Hekate s
Page 99 and 100:
CHAPTER FIFTEEN“There is somethin
Page 101 and 102:
steps brought them to an open doorw
Page 103 and 104:
“So something is draining the pow
Page 105 and 106:
“Are they really wereboars? I mea
Page 107 and 108:
“We can trust you and Nicholas, t
Page 109 and 110:
“No one is untouchable. She has i
Page 111 and 112:
how to speak English and had revert
Page 113 and 114:
“Could you tell me where I am?”
Page 115 and 116:
CHAPTER SEVENTEENSophie and Josh fo
Page 117 and 118:
“When can we go home?” Josh dem
Page 119 and 120:
with his sleeve.Flamel was about to
Page 121 and 122:
Flamel bowed. “We will be honored
Page 123 and 124:
him. She was aware that something t
Page 125 and 126:
“Why?” Sophie and Josh asked si
Page 127 and 128:
“There will come a time when the
Page 129 and 130:
the next wealthy beyond his wildest
Page 131 and 132:
shape began to form out of the mist
Page 133 and 134:
and felt color flood his face: what
Page 135 and 136:
irregular clumps of arm-length crys
Page 137 and 138:
moonlight gave her face a skeletal
Page 139 and 140:
There was movement in the air behin
Page 141 and 142:
CHAPTER TWENTYEven for Bel Air, the
Page 143 and 144:
earlier. They were living and worki
Page 145 and 146:
they could be birds…except that h
Page 147 and 148:
powers were extremely limited becau
Page 149 and 150:
“It is of no matter,” Senuhet s
Page 151 and 152:
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONEScathach was wait
Page 153 and 154:
“I don’t,” Scathach muttered.
Page 155 and 156:
Sophie nudged her brother in the ri
Page 157 and 158:
“How could I sleep with all this
Page 159 and 160:
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWOThe twins were sp
Page 161 and 162:
“But Hekate said that could kill
Page 163 and 164:
“Yes, because of iron. We survive
Page 165 and 166:
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREEThe cats of San
Page 167 and 168:
He felt, rather than saw, the birds
Page 169 and 170:
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOURJosh stood at th
Page 171 and 172:
“I’ve never been more sure.”T
Page 173 and 174:
other lands. But only two of the El
Page 175 and 176:
“You do nothing,” Hekate snappe
Page 177 and 178:
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVEDee waited until
Page 179 and 180:
It was the signal the Torc Allta an
Page 181 and 182:
“We will start with the elder,”
Page 183 and 184:
the cloying earthiness of her surro
Page 185 and 186:
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX“We need to go.
Page 187 and 188:
dribble and drip sticky green light
Page 189 and 190:
reached an opening. We’re at the
Page 191 and 192:
spices. Wood snapped and cracked, s
Page 193 and 194:
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVENPerenelle Flame
Page 195 and 196:
briefly smoked before it cleared an
Page 197 and 198:
appeared, fresh and green, in its p
Page 199 and 200:
“I am no girl. You may be ancient
Page 201 and 202:
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINEDr. John Dee was
Page 203 and 204:
Even though the Yggdrasill was burn
Page 205 and 206:
was caught between phases: young ey
Page 207 and 208:
CHAPTER THIRTYJosh Newman jerked op
Page 209 and 210:
company. While she’d been waiting
Page 211 and 212:
increasing. Today we are able to do
Page 213 and 214:
Sophie woke up while Scatty and Fla
Page 215 and 216:
Nicholas bundled up the remains of
Page 217 and 218:
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONEThe Shadowrealm w
Page 219 and 220:
her three guises, only the eyes—b
Page 221 and 222:
“And the boy?”The sword showed
Page 223 and 224:
The Morrigan drew her cloak tighter
Page 225 and 226:
that you spend the next millennia i
Page 227 and 228:
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREEIt was late in
Page 229 and 230:
“We need to talk,” Flamel said
Page 231 and 232:
Flamel and Scathach turning back to
Page 233 and 234:
mirror, his image was different, br
Page 235 and 236:
hearts do not beat, they have no ne
Page 237 and 238:
“The sensations are too much for
Page 239 and 240:
She looked around the room, paying
Page 241 and 242:
“Don’t ‘Gran’ me,” Dora s
Page 243 and 244:
had imagined.Dora turned her face i
Page 245 and 246:
Flamel had read the piece in the Co
Page 247 and 248:
remember back to when you were fift
Page 249 and 250:
murmuring archaic spells, divulging
Page 251 and 252:
process. She discovered that she kn
Page 253 and 254:
Dr. John Dee had lived in Ojai brie
Page 255 and 256:
physically ill, and suddenly, the o
Page 257 and 258:
looked around quickly, expecting to
Page 259 and 260:
“Of course I am,” Dee said, sou
Page 261 and 262:
Josh started to shake his head. Eve
Page 263 and 264:
Sophie leaned forward and kissed th
Page 265 and 266:
sword whipped around, slicing away
Page 267 and 268:
price of performing magic, she real
Page 269 and 270:
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINEJosh awoke, his
Page 271 and 272:
“I’ll not leave you and Sophie
Page 273 and 274:
Josh opened his mouth and was actua
Page 275 and 276:
would lose its power. “Stay with
Page 277 and 278:
CHAPTER FORTY-ONEDeep beneath Alcat
Page 279 and 280:
wings folded across its back. The c
Page 281 and 282:
Then, one day in the late fall of 2
Page 283 and 284:
him and his wife (the Rue Nicolas F
Page 285 and 286:
ABOUT THE AUTHORAn authority on myt
Page 287 and 288:
Summary: While working at pleasant
Page 289:
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREECHAPTER THIRTY-
show all

01_-_The_Alchemyst

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?